Golden Abyss
by Phoenix Takaramono
Summary: AU Train, reincarnated Felix and butler extraordinaire, faces a web of confusion and lost love as he's thrown into a world of lies and manipulation where everyone's after him and things aren't as they appear to be. SUPERNATURAL VAMP Creed/ FELIX Train
1. Notre Beginning

**A/N-** Okay… before you guys start groaning, "Oh no! Not another one," I have a good explanation! See here, whenever stupid plot bunnies pop out of nowhere, they won't leave in peace without my writing down all their plans for yaoi-domination. And so, I can't update my other stories without writing down part of this that was intended for _this_ fic. It fell in love with the _Black Cat_. –sighs-

Hopefully, this is good enough for you guys. –sweatdrops- And I'll attempt to make this good for you guys in the meantime. I won't ever forgive myself if this turned out to be a piece of crap.

_Rated M for potty mouths, gory action, and passionate lovemaking_. –laughs-

**Betaed by: Leopardus Pardalis**

Give her a hand, folks! –grins-

**_REAL_ full summary:** _'I've come to bring you some bad luck.'_ The Black Cat was once a knight feared all over the world. A few centuries later, Train Heartnet, a legendary ex-assassin, is reborn without any memories of his past life. A chance meeting in New York presents Creed Diskenth, a powerful male vampire, the opportunity of a lifetime to reclaim his reincarnated lover. But seducing this Felix may be harder than he expects. An unknown foe has sprung up, targeting the two lost souls. Now, Train has no choice but to join Creed and step into the web of lies, manipulation, and lost love.

**Disclaimer:** I do **NOT** own any characters! They belong to the fabulous manga artist, Kentaro Yabuki. The story, however, is mine! Don't steal! Thieves and flamers, shoo shoo!

* * *

**Golden Abyss**

**_Prologue:_**

Notre _Beginning_

* * *

_A streak of yellow flashed through the dark clouds looming over the battlefield. Endless miles of fresh corpses surrounded the barren land, unoccupied by any vegetation. In the midst of the cooling bodies, two figures clad in medieval armor were enthralled in a deadly dance._

_Swords clash and sparks fly._

_Finally, one spoke. "Black Cat… you have no right to freedom," he hissed. His eyes of steel flared, his striking eyes the only thing attractive in his aging face. The golden sheen of his body armor emitted a blinding aura of light around him._

_"You are nothing more than a mere pet."_

_The other man, handsome like a prince in a fairy tale, snarled. He evaded a deadly blow and twisted around to return the favor._

_"Chronos is your master! You live to obey me!"_

_"No… Mason," the Black Cat said softly._

_Blood dripped. Plip, it echoed._

_A sword discarded._

_"I have no master."_

_Plip._

_"No…," he whispered._

_Plip._

_The Black Cat dropped to his knees, his beautiful amber orbs hazy and delirious with pain._

_"No," he repeated._

_Mason towered over the crumbled knight. "Last chance," he said. "Give in while your life blood is still keeping you alive. __Open your eyes and turn away from your precious lord."_

_He laughed even though pain tore through his belly like acid. "And be chained for the rest of my life? Forget it! I'd rather die!"_

_"…Then die you shall." Mason unsheathed a long blade of sinister silver from under his torn, velvety cape and placed it against his former ally's neck. "Any final words?"_

_The Black Cat smiled._

_"Very well… you've had your chance." Mason's eyes held regret as he brought down the sword in a wide arch._

_His golden orbs closed, time moving slow for the dying man. "Finally… a stray cat lives free once again." He whispered breathlessly as the sword came within mere centimeters from his neck, "I give onto life as my lord gave onto me."_

_The night erupted in blood and death._

_Agony and sorrow unlike any that he had ever encountered coursed through his veins as he writhed and twisted in his coffin. Creed howled and arched his back, the spectacle like a parody of ecstasy. Liquid pain pooled in his stomach, and his chest tightened. His heart, though no longer beating as fast it once had when he was mundane, felt like a sharp stone embedded in his chest._

_Lightning crashed._

_He pounded the inside of the ebony coffin, his nails scratching and clawing through the dark silk. "Let me out!" he roared._

_Creed's eyes snapped open, the endless sea of blue glowing eerily. Tiny, red tendrils crept through his shining irises, morphing the butcher blue eyes into blood red._

_The wind rattled the windows, the sound of people screaming._

_A bang._

_Creed gasped, drawing in the precious air that he very much needed. His hand clenched the front of his fine black tunic, trying to still the beating that was still alien to him._

_The slow beat no longer occupied his chest._

_He pushed himself up into a sitting position, the broken door of the coffin discarded across the stone floor._

_The frantic beating was never supposed to cease._

_Creed buried his pale face into his equally pale hands as he drew a dry sob. A strong vision overcame his senses._

_He exhaled a shuddering breath._

_"Train… my precious black cat." He cried, tears of blood trickling down his cheeks. __"Mon amoureux idiot… you promised me that we would be together forever."_

****

**End Prologue:**

_Our Commencement_

* * *

**A/N-** Well? What did you guys think of the prologue so far? –grins- I hope you guys enjoyed the story so far and don't forget to leave comments! They're as good as any favorites.

Oh… and by the way, this story is yaoi-centric, just in case you hadn't figured it out yet. –shifts eyes- If you are disturbed by yaoi (guy on guy), then please press the back button and try to have a nice day. You are warned...


	2. Mon Future

**A/N-** Thanks for the kind comments, you guys! –hugs you all- Well, here's the first chapter of this _tragic_ story of reincarnation and lost love. –laughs- As for the French... I had this thought of a past romantic outing in his native country, and 'Diskenth' sounded French (or was it Old English?)! Bah… I just hope you guys aren't disappointed with this chapter. –smiles nervously- And this is just like an info chapter, before leading into the confrontation.

**Betaed by: _Leopardus Pardalis_!**

Without her, this chapter wouldn't even be here today! Thank her for making this story possible.

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Black Cat. If I did, then I wouldn't even be here, slaving away to provide this story for you guys for free. -sniffs- Mr. Kentaro Yabuki, you're one lucky dude.

* * *

**Golden Abyss**

**_Chapter One:_**

Mon _Future_

* * *

'_Mon chat, vos yeux sont enchanteur.' _**_My cat, your eyes are enchanting. _**

_The beauty standing before him shook his head and laughed. __'Et vous, mon ami de vampire, surpassez même la mer des étoiles'. _**_And you, my vampire friend, outshine even the sea of stars._**

_Creed chuckled and raised a glass of sparkling champagne to his newly-turned companion. __'Est ici pour notre nouvelle amitié.' _**_Here is to our new friendship._**

_Train held his glass up in a mock toast. _

_Clink._

_'Et à la liberté'. _**_And to freedom._**

**_

* * *

_**

Creed awoke with a gasp, ever inch of his skin drenched in sweat. "Damn it to all," he moaned, scrubbing his hands over his face. The moonlight casted a pale blue glow over his exposed skin, making his unnatural paleness even more translucent and noticeable.

_'Like an ivory carving of an angel,'_ his lover had once said, playfully twirling a strand of his lord's hair with one slim finger tracing the curve of his jaw. _'Granted, an oddball, but still my angel.'_

Stars twinkled in the dark abyss of night. The branches of a willow tree swayed back and forth in the distance. Waves crashed and rocks were tumbling down steep cliffs. The very castle where he was currently residing laid upon a deserted island somewhere in the Sea of Japan.

A cool breeze ruffled his hair, causing stray strands to escape from his combed-back hair. He glanced over his shoulder at the open windows in mere irritation, and willed them shut.

He brushed away the long, silvery wisps from his face and sneezed. Even though he was a vampire and had reduced body temperature, he still had his keen sense of touch accompanying him. Creed shivered from the cold and desperately rubbed his arms, feeling every little goosebumps that sent prickling sensations up and down his skin. He cursed the cold, and blamed the unknown thief that crawled into his chambers and stole his nightrobe for who knows what. After hearing the window click shut softly, and a bit of warmth returning, he diverted his attention back into analyzing the dream.

The memories. The smell! Day and night, everything about his lover haunted him.

He remembered the way his golden eyes twinkled with mirth every time he proclaimed his love to the fair knight. The way Train scoffed and rolled his eyes when the vampire lord first called him his "pet cat".

The slight furrowing of his delicate brows. The smooth, slightly tanned skin. The disheveled hair.

He pushed aside the lid of his coffin, wincing at the noise when it clattered noisily to the floor. _Now, that's going to leave a mark._ Creed sighed, running his hand through his damp, silver hair. He glanced worriedly at the lid as he removed his hands from his hair and leaned over to peer down at the lid. His fingers unconsciously brushed against the velvety satin, the inside of the white casket. The lid was designed to fit the lower half of the coffin perfectly, resembling a warped cross. The sides of the coffin were extended to further allow his arms to rest against his chest.

He double-checked the lid, making perfectly sure that the engravings on it didn't scratches from the collision. After all, he paid tons of money for the little detailed carvings.

The vampire sighed in relief, his red lips twitching slightly upwards. "It didn't break," he murmured. He remembered when his mortal lover chided him softly when his previous, ebony coffin had a dent on it.

Oh, how amusing that little fiasco was! His human lover, barely past the age of thirty, getting mad over a little mark on the expensive casket. Nonetheless, after a few moments of pointless squabble, they made up and went out for a private, romantic dinner in the secluded streets of medival France. They were recognized throughout the quaint little restaurant as soon as they set foot into the dark, candlelit room that only the affluent nobles and the wealthy knew about. Their names were whispered in awe, spread through every hushed corners and tables dressed in shadows. Envious stares were tossed their way as he and his partner were quickly ushered into their reserved seats, and many glares were pinpointed on one of the two, varying with each member of the aristocracy dealing in the underworld.

Creed closed his eyes and smiled from the memory, feeling the familiar glow of happiness beating faintly to his chest. It was one of his happiest memories of their lives before his beloved's death.

An irregular tune was rapped sharply against the door, snapping the vampire back into reality like a slap to the face.

He scowled, rumbles of low-emitted growls escaping his throat. Who would dare to come at this time and interrupt his evanescent reel of memories? If it was that damn fire-breathing brat again—what was her name?—Kyoko, he was going to kill her. It didn't matter if Charden begged for him to spar her life again. The damn brat needed to know her place.

"Creed, open up! I demand that you explain the commotion going on in there!" an almost metallic voice, more than likely a man's, shrilled.

Durham? No, it wasn't likely. At least that man had some common sense to stay away. Creed made sure of it the last time the gunman entered his chambers unattended. Could it be—Shiki? His heart grew once again cold and stilled as he felt the web of irritation stirring in the depths of his mind. Of course it was. He laughed bitterly, scolding himself for his foolishness. He couldn't believe that after all this time he still expected for his dead lover to waltz into his chambers, declare that it was all a dream, and kiss away all the nightmares. To wipe away all the lonely nights.

More frantic knocks echoed in the room which was designed to look alike to a certain dungeon of the medieval times. Other than the cobblestones that decorated the floor and his coffin lying in the middle of the room, the vast space was bare. Portraits were taken down and stored in a vault. Torture mechanisms were put away. Even his personal belongings were tossed away. The only thing that remained was his coffin. He couldn't bare to put his precious belongings within nearby vicinity; it would only bring up more painful memories.

"Shiki," he hissed, "Either you cease that infuriating battering this instant or I assure you that this will be the very last sunset you will ever enjoy."

The aggravating knocking stopped cold. Finally!

"Creed, I apologize for my actions." Shiki said softly though his voice sounded stiff as a board.

Creed frowned, frowned, straining his sensitive ears to perceive and try to make out what useless conversation his right-hand man was attempting to make. He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate on the faint words emitting from the other side of the ebony door. He momentarily blocked all memories of his beloved to focus on the menial task. _I'm sorry, precious Train. I'll return to your embrace once this pest is gone._

"However, contrary to your beliefs, my action is just a sign of my concern for you."

_Lies._ They were feeding lies to him once again. Did they really think he couldn't figure out their intentions after all this time? They wanted him to distance himself from his memories concerning his beloved. The fools. Couldn't they see that his memories were the only thing that kept him going? Couldn't they see that his main reason for living was gone?

"Creed, please unlock the door," he pleaded.

Damn it to all. Won't people just leave him alone to wallow in his own misery? "Sometimes I wonder if this is my punishment for living past a century," he muttered beneath his breath. Then, rising his voice to a volume he was sure his right-hand man couldn't dispute, he uttered tiredly, "I'm fine, Shiki. There's no need for your concerns. Although I appreciate the thought, I'm fine. Now, go and do whatever pleases you. Your services are not needed. You're dismissed."

Silence.

"Shiki…," he raised his voice warningly at a volume even louder when he failed to recognize the sounds of departure.

"Fine! Just go on with your childish self-pitying. You know that won't bring your beloved back," Shiki spat, turning on his heels to leave. "When you finally manage to gather some sense in that inflated head of yours and learn to grow up, I'll be in the library. Your drink will be awaiting your arrival. Don't blame me if it loses its freshness just because a certain someone refuses to listen to his subordinate that clearly knows better than him."

Creed rolled his eyes. "I can get my own bloody drink, thank you," he mumbled.

"Not from the ones resembling your dead lover." Shiki shot back, overhearing his leader's soft voice. "After all these years, you still haven't moved on. It's pathetic. Do you really think Heartnet would want you to hold on to his memory? Wouldn't it make sense that he would've wanted you to find some happiness after him? That he would've wanted you to find someone else to cherish?"

"...Shiki, you dare? You dare raise your voice against me? The only person that took you in when no one else did?"

Only silence ensued as a response as the Chinese insect master scoffed, then angrily marched away.

"And what do you know of love?" Creed whispered brokenly. "You're not the one with this accursed soul, stuck as an animated corpse for the rest of your life. You're not the one cursed to love only the man you admired before the Turning. You're not the one that witnessed your beloved's death as if you were really there with him. You... you don't know of the blissful moments my T-Train shared with me." Something hot crawled up in the back of his throat, and burned his eyes. He choked, sniffs escaping this ancient vampire.

"We were happy once, damn you! WE WERE SO HAPPY! But you had to get yourself killed, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU!" Creed saw red, the face of his lover smeared in his mind with the sinister red mist. An aloof grin savagely twisted upside down. The blank amber orbs and bleached-white limbs arranged awkwardly on the terrain.

The vampire's face contorted with grief.

The cry of anguish and pain could be heard from miles away, echoing through every twist of a brach and the sloshing of seawater.

* * *

Shiki grumbled under his breath as he made his way down the exquisite, spiraling staircase. "Damn you, Black Cat. Why did you have to be Creed's lover in the past? If it weren't for you, he wouldn't be this pathetic shell of a man that he is today."

"Aah, but if it weren't for this knight in shining armor, our leader today wouldn't be here with plans of the next revolution," a baritone voice said with dark amusement lining his rich voice.

Frowning in the layers of dark fabric shrouding his face, Shiki glanced down at the man decked out in an unblemished white lab coat and glasses. "Doctor," he said with a grimace. It was known throughout their criminal empire that the Doctor and the Chinese insect master barely tolerated each other. They had different views, one traditional and the other scientific, so it was almost entirely impossible for them to come to an understanding.

"At your service oh honorable servant of the damned," Doctor smirked as he gave a little bow. "And I infer, judging from the look on your face, that-"

Shiki interrupted. "What face? It's covered." _I have a right to be pissed off, and I don't care if I lash out at this asshole. Creed took me in as his very own child, discarding my disgusting background, and expects me to lead the Hoshi no Shito as his right-hand man. However, I doubt I'll ever forgive his selfishness by clinging on to that foolish dream of ever seeing his lover again. __Besides, there is no such thing as reincarnation, or a mortal returning to life with his or her past-life personality and memories intact. _

But there was such a thing as an old soul returning to the world in new flesh. It was a thought that continuously nagged at the back of his mind. A ritual, among the others Creed had once ordered him to look up for him, he had in mind required only the proper ingredients, incantation, and the judgment of the soul in question. Such ritual had been said to have been successful before according to their resident fortuneteller. Unfortunately, it hadn't really worked out the way they had been expecting it to when Creed insisted on trying it. Needless to say, the fortuneteller found herself beheaded the next day, the _Hoshi no Shito_ saddled with a ghost, and Shiki got himself the job as their impromptu janitor.

"My. My. No need to be vicious," Doctor said, arching a curious brow at the slightly shorter man clad entirely in an Asian ensemble of lilac and black. "Anyway, I'm just here to remind you of the upcoming meeting we have to attend."

"…Meeting? What meeting?"

"Oh, don't tell me you've forgotten," he smirked, pushing the bridge of his glasses back up.

"Then cut to the chase and explain, Doctor. For Pete's sake, what meeting?" Shiki demanded, exasperated. It was enough dealing with Creed's mood swings and his maddening hallucinations, but this _gualichu _just had to appear!

From what he could remember, they had recruited this mad doctor for their intelligence base from about one hundred years ago. When they had first offered him the position of Healer and High Intelligence, he was nothing more than a mere beggar tossed in the streets. Unnamed and shunned by his fellow human scientists, Doctor immediately jumped at the offer like a predator at its first kill. As a purebred _gualichu_, he was born into the world by possessing a newborn baby's soul, inhabiting its body. Like all the supernatural creatures born into the human world, he had uniquely-colored eyes. Under the light, it would turn an eerie amethyst and while in the dark, it would transform into a sinister red.

_Yet, with those thick, square glasses on his face, one can't really tell_, the sudden thought popped in Shiki's head.

"Ah-hem," Doctor coughed politely behind his fist. "Before you start spacing out as _you_ humans and half-breeds are prone to do, allow me to remind you that Friday the thirteenth is coming up."

Shiki resisted the urge to pummel his fist into Doctor's smug face. Oh, it was true that he was a human half-breed—not that he will ever admit it—but nonetheless, it irritated him to no ends. _Stupid, senile Doctor and his damn mockery._

"And if you weren't so slow…."

A slight tic made itself known by the Chinese man's eye, hidden under the folds of his mask.

"-You'd realize that the annual council meeting, hosted by the _generous_ _Chronos_, will undergo on that day."

Shiki didn't fail to hear the sneer when he mentioned _Chronos_, the legendary underground organization dealing in secret assassinations and drug raids under the façade of truth and justice. Not that he could blame him. Ever since Shiki was a toddler, his parents were killed in battle with the dreaded _Chronos_ Elders, the head individuals of the organization. Only he was spared, witnessing the horrifying murders of his brethren though a little peephole of the tiny underground chamber his father had thrust him in long ago.

Shiki clenched his fingers and gritted his teeth. Those hypocritical murderers killed the happy childhood that he deserved to have. Those murdering _Chronos_ bastards killed all of his kind! Back then, he had no choice but to survive by all means in order to take revenge. He had stolen leftover scraps from trash bins, lied and tricked the disgustingly generous humans that took him in for his distinctiveness, and relieved the bulging wallets of those who dared to even come close to him. Despite his cautiousness at taking only a few change, someone ratted on him. Because of that, he was beaten and spat on when he was tossed into the streets. Yet, despite everything that had happened to him, he refused to let the cold, unfeeling hands of poverty and despair take hold of him. It was then that he met with a group of half-breeds from his home country. He hadn't felt that happy since the times his parents were alive. It was as if he finally had a family again.

Just when he was about to forgive _Chronos_ and forget his entire plan of vengeance, a corrupted disciple of _Chronos_ had stumbled upon their refuge and massacred every last of his friends. Only a few escaped with him, but by then it was too late. He couldn't keep in contact with them as they panicked and scattered out of his reach, ignoring his frantic calls to come back. Now, only few half-breeds of the Chinese society remain, huddled in the ghettos in fear of being the next ones targeted.

"And pray tell, where is this tea party held?" Shiki snarled viciously, his eyes burning with determination. Never mind that Doctor looked down at him for his birth. _Chronos_ was more important than some petty discrimination. If only the Elders died, then he wouldn't even give a speck of attention to their demise. Alas, they did not and because of that, he promised to chase them down. This time, he wasn't just taking revenge for his brethren. Should the Elders appear right before his eyes, he swore on an oath to his Master that he would make the bastards suffer a long and torturous death in the name of the lives they had taken.

Taken back a bit at his comrade's reaction, Doctor leered quietly in response and bared his mouth in a feral smile. "Why, the _Queen_ has summoned us to New York, of course!"

* * *

**End Chapter 1:**

Mon _Future_

* * *

**A/N**- And this concludes the first chapter of _**Golden Abyss**_! I understand fully that Train did not appear in this chapter, but fear not my precious readers! He will appear soon. –grins- You can count on that! And that's when the real fun will begin. The same applies to the rest of the characters. They're just going through… a bit of therapy. As for the Queen remark, Doctor was being a bit sarcastic.

Till next time! –waves- And please don't forget to comment. Hearing your thoughts of the story helps it progress. –laughs and adopts a grim face- Seriously.


	3. Son Arrival

**A/N-** Holy shit… I just had an earthquake here. –laughs- It wasn't that serious though. Now regarding GA… -stares at the current total number of reviews- Wow… I was expecting it to be pitiful. At least some people liked it… return, my lovelies! –cries- XD Bah… there is a huge section dealing with Wilzark and Sephiria 'cause the manga didn't further explain their relationship and I needed to provide the overall theme of the story. I've changed some people's jobs 'cause if I didn't, then all their relationships wouldn't change a damn thing. Oh but I will provide the basic elements of each so you won't be missing your savvy sweeper action and the like. -winks- As for my TA fans, I'm sorry but please be patient while I'm working on it.

**Betaed by:** **Leopardus Pardalis**!

Thank you so much for editing this story. You rock!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do **NOT** own _Black Cat_ though I wish I did. I could be rich selling Creed/Train merchandise by now!

* * *

**Golden Abyss **

_**Chapter Two:**_

Son _Arrival_

* * *

Train stared dispassionately at the ranting female in front of him as he slouched further into his seat. What was he doing here in the empty hallways, listening to the latest talk of fashion when he could have been outside bounty-hunting and ridding the streets of terror with Sven? _Or maybe I could try sneaking into the kitchen and grabbing a bite._ _Or I could simply endure the torture of helping the trio with their décor? Naa… it ain't worth it. I still remember when Cerberus chased me out into the streets when I said that they had bad tastes. Sheesh! I was just stating the obvious. There was no need for them to take such violent and drastic measures. …I will never doubt Nizer's Dioskuroi ever again._

_And at least Sephiria didn't approve of Baldorias's and Kranz's offer to help. Knowing them, they would just drag in rotting corpses, and paint the room with blood and pass it off as good décor._

_Oh lord…. I'm going insane._ Train groaned inwardly; the fact that he was thinking about décor clearly reflected his current state of mind. He shifted in his seat, and his eyes roved upwards as he tried to count the number of holes in the huge ceiling to pass off his boredom.

_Rinslet is a bad influence_, he concluded as he listened to the talk of yukatas spawn into stiletto heels_. I never knew I could be this bored listening to her ramble about stuff she knows guys don't care about._ Yup, sometimes his Japanese fiancé bored him to the point of sleep.

"Train, honey? Hello…? You in there, big guy?" Saya stared back at the glazed, golden eyes. Her teal irises were starting to flicker violet, reflecting the shimmering rage bubbling inside despite her outer calm facade. _He could at least have the courtesy of trying to feign attention._ Saya pouted. "Oi! Snap out of it!"

"Huh? Oh, what about the shoes?" Train said as he snapped back into focus.

Saya squealed in happiness as she pulled him into a hug, squeezing him tightly against her chest. "Hey, you did listen! I knew you came with the full package!"

And it was true. When she was still a grad and a sweeper-rookie, she met Train at one of her missions. Not only was she charmed by his rugged good looks—brunettes had never looked so good— Saya had immediately known he was her fated one when their eyes met. That and his impressive feat when he knocked out the criminal she spent all night trying to catch. Saya nearly swooned as she looked down dreamily at the head of the man she loved. Ever since their first date, she was constantly showered with gifts and nonstop attention. _But lately, Train has been spacing out. I wonder what's going on… is my conversation really that boring?_

"Umm… Saya?" He was really at a lost for words.

"Yup?"

"I don't know how to put this… but… uhh…."

"Go on," she crooned.

"Not it's just-! Erm, I can't really… I can't breathe!" he gasped. "Let… go!"

Saya flushed. "Sorry, Train," she apologized as she reluctantly relinquished her hold, "but you don't have to worry if you somehow… died. I could raise you from the dead!"

"You're not a necromancer, Saya. You're a witch." He pointed out as he sank further back into his chair. "And no, I don't need your help. The last time you attempted to help sent me to the hospital." Noting the stricken look on her face, he hurriedly finished with, "You're enough help standing there. You're good company." _Hopefully she won't notice my pained expression when I said that._

"…Touché. Anyhow, what's with you? You've been acting so moody lately. Are you secretly PMS-ing?"

"Well excuse me, Miss Fashion Diva! And I am not PMS-ing! Do I look like I have boobs?"

"Says you, Mr. Puss in Boots! Hey, you can't even transform into a canine."

"I'm not a werecat… I'm a Felix. And for your information, canines are dogs. You're referring to werewolves, and they stink to the high heavens." Train retorted. It always irked him whenever someone confused him for a shiftshaper or better yet, a stupid werewolf. _What is it with people and werewolves? Werewolves are not even close to being remotely cool! _"Felixes kick ass," he muttered quietly to himself. If he had a dime for every time some stupid idiot decided to test his patience, he would be stinking rich. _…Not that Sven would mind of course._ "And stop poking me, damn it!"

"Well geez, Train. What crawled up your arse and died? You're not the boss of me! I'll stop when I feel like it. And for once in your life, take off that damn jacket! Don't you feel hot in there?"

"At least I'm not the one wearing a stuffy yukata in a room filled with heaters. It's hot in here! Seriously Saya, not one sane person wears that getup around here."

"Well, at least I'm not as hot as you!"

His lips quirked up leisurely in a devious smile as his eyebrows arched to his hairline. "Are you saying that I'm hot?" he purred. "Why Saya, I never knew you thought that way. And might I help you relieve the pressure by slowly peeling that attire off your lovely figure?"

His lips curved further back into a toothy smile. _Trust the little princess to give out splendid love advice,_ he thought with glee. It was turning out exactly as his little counselor had predicted. Saya's face looked just like a bright red tomato, complete with cropped brown hair and bewitching blue eyes. _And I had thought Love 101 was useless._

Saya's jaw dropped, stunned at the sudden bold comments. _Holy bleep! Uhh, woah! Did he just… hit on me? "_Hey, you know what, Train? ...Did you hear something? Anyhow, I better check it out. Seems suspicious. Busy, busy me. So… see ya! Business... uhh, nature calls!" she said in a rush as she hurried down the halls with the hem of her getup flapping rather unladylike after her fleeing form. "I'll be at home waiting for you!" She tugged a random door open.

"The hell? But-"

The slamming of the door cut off his sentence.

"-You said you were going to stay with me the whole day." He said softly, his hurt shown through his voice.

* * *

"Number I," a scratchy voice pounded through the female's eardrums. "What is the meaning of this?"

Sephiria sighed, pressing her cool fingers against her forehead, massaging her temples.

"Inviting Creed Diskenth and his merry band of circus freaks to this meeting_;_ this is pure idiocy!"

"That may be, sire, but I am confident in my decision. Inviting the _Hoshi no Shito_ is what we need in this time of crisis." Her tired voice rang out, traveling through the speakers behind her back and across continents.

"They are useless, not to mention dangerous!"

"But doesn't their inactivity seem suspicious to you?"

"Perhaps they had lost interest of their ridiculous proposal of world conquest. Or maybe Diskenth is going through rehab. Whatever the case may be, it doesn't merit your call."

_And people say that I'm stubborn_, Sephiria thought. "Elder, by all means of respect, I must remind you that it is much too late to cancel the summoning-"

"Because of you!"

"-But our organization's tight control over our limited power is crumbling. Someone or something is tapping into our financial banks and emptying them of their contents. As of now, our patrons are withdrawing their support! Elder, I understand that you are unnerved of the invitations I'd sent, but we must gather allies as soon as possible. And humans are worthless to our cause."

"By scattering meaningless summons to the major organizations of the world?"

"But of course." Sephiria's lips quirked upwards, the curtain of her eyelashes fluttering open to reveal dazzling cerulean orbs devoid of warmth. Cool and calculating. "It is the union of across the world; us being the West, the _Hoshi no Shito_ of the East, the _Zero Numbers _of the North, and the _Sweeper Alliance_ of the South."

"Are you implying that one of them is responsible for all this… trouble?"

"Yes," she confirmed, her hands folded in her lap. She chose her next words carefully. "In order to find the one responsible, we must lay out the bait."

Silence. A buzzing static, the only noise in the dim office. She closed her eyes, leaning against the tall Victorian chair carved and manufactured out of solid oak. Her long, luxurious hair swept behind her in a taut ponytail pressed against the back of her head, the pale golden bangs swept to a side to reveal the number 'I' tattooed on her forehead, entwined with two curling thunderbolts. She was wearing nothing but a long men's shirt that pressed against her chest, her breasts rising and then lowering steadily to the beat of her heart. The weight of the world on her shoulders took a toll on her beautiful appearance. Dark shadows lay beneath her eyes, her skin waxy and pale; she was the paradigm of sickly beauty.

There was a slight intake of breath.

"We haven't got a choice now, haven't we?" he said, barely above a whisper. "So we're the fishermen chasing after the fish."

The uncomfortable silence continued. Seconds seemed like hours to the both of them as minutes ticked on by.

"Elder?" she asked, the first to break the stillness.

A rustling noise and a whispery sigh.

"For years, Sephiria, I have lived on. Past centuries, past millenniums, death wouldn't grant me my final wish. And I am stuck in this aged flesh to remind me of my past sins." There was a dry chuckle. "When I was but a young man, I had nurtured and watched the birth of _Chronos_ proudly with my heart on my sleeve. Never had I imagined in a hundred years _Chronos_, an empire with one thirds of the world within its grasp, would end up like this on the threshold of obliteration.

"_Chronos_ had made many enemies as well as allies, and we finally got the cream of the crop; one sly as a fox and as persistent as a shark with blood in his mind. He, she, or they will stop at nothing to see to the destruction of _Chronos_. I've trained you to be a powerful individual with the capability of thinking for yourself. Sephiria… do you remember the times when you sat on my lap?"

She nodded mutely, a bit of warmth returning into the depths of her heart. "Yes. I was playing with your loaf of bread while you were lecturing me of the finer points of being a lady, Wilzark. I mean, Elder."

A series of dry rasps that only she could identify as laughter echoed into her ears. "Now, now Sephiria." Wilzark had a light tone to his voice. "We don't have to act like professionals when there's no one around except us."

"But you'll never know when you're truly alone. You taught me that years ago."

"…You were always so smart," Wilzark murmured. "Even up to this point, I couldn't beat you at chess."

She laughed, a bubble of giggles emitted out of her throat. "Let's see you tell that to me in my face and not through a speakerphone."

"And so, I trust that you will dispose of this matter as a professional?" The mood turned serious.

She banished the laughter as she adopted a grim face. "I promise you that I will not fail your expectations."

"I do not need your word for it. Your actions will speak for itself. Keep your chin up and your mind alert. Who knows when they will attack, but as soon as they do, strike back with all your might—never mind the situation."

"Elder, I know what to do. I'm a grown woman."

"There is no such thing as knowing everything there is to know. Be careful of what you do for we cannot afford anymore mistakes. The future of Chronos lies in your hands. Please take good care of us."

"Is there really a need to build on the pressure?"

"I'm just telling you the reality of the situation we are in now. There cannot be any hesitations." A yawn. "Now, it is growing late, and I must retire to my bed."

She began, "Have a goodnight's-"

"-Wait! What of the matter with Heartnet? He's not one of the Numbers anymore."

"Number XIII?"

"Do not call him that," Wilzark roared his voice as sharp as a blade.

Sephiria flinched. "Yes, of course. What about him invoked your curiosity?"

"What is he still doing here? And I'm particularly interested on why he's participating…."

She hesitated.

"Well?" Wilzark asked, impatience lining his voice.

"Because my gut tells me that this will not start off successfully without enlisting Heartnet's help," she blurted.

She was taught to never trust her gut instincts for it was equivalent to showing compassion for an enemy. It was how Train Heartnet was kicked out of the Numbers. To fail _Chronos_' expectations merited death. Belze Rochefort, her familiar, saw the potential of Train's abilities and had put in a good word for him, convincing the reluctant Elders to spare him of execution. As a punishment for failing but escaping with his life, Train was instantly demoted from the elite class of assassins and into the catering business. He was not allowed to delve into any other career. Of course, it had killed his pride though his cocky mannerisms still remained. Everyone connected to Train had laughed boisterously when learning of his humiliation, though Saya Minatsuki had pointed out the good side of the demotion. _'At least you still have a job and a life,'_ she had said.

"Your gut!" Wilzark spluttered.

"Of all the other Numbers, only Heartnet is reliable to put out any trouble without causing chaos. I don't know how to describe it, but I _need_ Heartnet. It's a do or die situation."

"…But he's a butler now." His voice sounded dubious, not that she could blame him. "Surely his skills must have had eroded by now. And he's wearing those clothes; I know from experience that it's hard to act quickly in that outfit."

"Experience?"

A cough. "Trust me when I say that you do not want to know. Though his fiancé must be happy seeing him in such an outfit…," he trailed off. "I wonder if they had done it yet. I wouldn't be surprised if they did. Women eye after a piece of candy like him."

"Elder, I really do not think that it's appropriate to discuss whether or not Heartnet still has his virginity intact." The topic was starting to disturb her. After all, she had worked alongside with Heartnet for quite some years and she considered him somewhat of a close associate. There were times when she considered him a friend, but rarely. "Are you trying to embarrass me on purpose?"

"I try my best." Sephiria could just envision the Elder shrugging his shoulders. "Don't cause a scene now, Number I."

"Goodnight, Elder," she said, a bit miffed by the concern he was showing.

"Goodnight, Number I." The line went dead.

Hearing the barely audible click, she stood up and squinted in the dim-lighted room. She slipped on her coat and felt her way out, her fingers sliding and groping over walls and other items. Once her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the outside, she pressed a finger on the intercom. The flat look returned as the little white machine beeped and came to life. "Code AE408. Sephiria Arks. Bypass restriction 461."

"Code confirmed. Bypass all standard procedure of security and greetings. Sephiria Arks, isn't it such a pleasant day? Number I, class Yokai, Caucasian. Anything else I could do for you, Number I?" a female's voice, robotic and polite, asked.

_A rookie_, Sephiria decided. There was a slight eagerness in the female's voice that only the newcomers of Chronos had. Usually, all the professional secretaries had a dull drone imbedded in their voice.

"Find me Number II. I request his audience."

"Order confirmed. Number II, Belze Rochefort, class Otso and your Familiar, Caucasian. Anything else I could do for you, Number I?"

_Trust a newbie to get to the point easily_, she thought. "Please alert Heartnet that we are in need of his… catering abilities. Direct him to our private library."

"Of course, Number I! Anything else now?"

Sephiria could detect a trace of smugness in the female's voice. "No, that is all… Miss?"

"Tanya. Have a nice day, Number I."

"Good day to you too, Tanya."

* * *

_Damn it,_ Saya groused. _He always toys with me!_

Whenever Train got into one of his good moods, he always knew which buttons to push. Saya was still unused to his flirtatious teasing, and that damn smile of his always made her knees buckle. _Why can't he realize that sometimes I need him to be serious in our relationship? Only I can tease him! There can only be one joker in this relationship, and it ain't him. Ooh… I should've turned him into a frog that time. I don't know what made me hold back._

_"…le."_

Her train of thoughts skidded into a halt. "Huh?" She craned her head automatically, straining to hear the softly spoken words. She was in the dark hallways with candlelight flickering on and off eerily. To this day, she still wondered why Chronos had not installed good ol' electricity instead of old-fashioned candles and wicks. She walked into another room and fished out her pistol, preparing to catch and disarm the perpetrator. _It's better to be paranoid than sorry._

_"…Arrêtez-le."_

The hair on the back of her neck stood straight up. Then recognition settled in. "No, not you. Not again!" she hissed. "Damnit, don't you know when to stop and take a well-deserved break? You and I both know we need our vacations... away from each other."

_"Arrêtez-le_," the ghostly voice repeated again, barely above a whisper.

Oh hell no. It was that damn spirit again (whom she had dubbed 'The Presence'), always lurking nearby, spreading his lies of _her_ beloved Train. But then again, today something seemed different of her ghostly company. He had never spoken a word of French to her before till this day. Saya considered herself an expert of all languages, and this little request in French puzzled her. The Presence wanted her to stop— but for what? Her teal eyes flitted back and forth; her being alone in an empty room with her invisible companion was beginning its affect on the witch.

_"Vous fille stupide. Il ne vous aime pas."_

A chill of apprehension ran down her back. Something really was wrong. Usually, she ignored the ghostly voice that accompanied her through every waking moment, giving no second thoughts of his insults and lies. But today, the Presence's words held some sort of power behind it. "No, Train does love me. Unless you're talking about some other guy, you're wrong."

_"Mon Chat Noir ne vous aime pas, vous putain dégoûtante."_

"Your… Black Cat? Who is… that?" she croaked, puzzled yet afraid of the answer.

_"…Mon Chat Noir… mon Train aimé."_

Saya tensed. "Train? He couldn't be.…" Her pistol was starting to weigh a ton and she could no longer hold it. It dropped soundlessly from her hands and clattered onto the floor. Her arms hung numbly against her sides.

_"Mais qui d'autre pourrait-il être? Pourquoi fait il néanmoins restent près de vous? Il ne vous aime pas. Avait-il jamais poussé ces trois mots à vous? Comme comment est-lui allé à moi?"_

Much to her horror, she realized he was right. _Her _Train had not once said "I love you" to her face. Her eyes watered and her heart thudded painfully in her chest. She gripped her snow-white yukata, sprinkled with decorative cherry flowers. The familiar feeling of doubt began to rise in her head. Saya squeezed her eyes shut. _Stop it. _

She shook her head frantically, as if the very action could ward him off. In her confused moment, her fragile mind couldn't take in the way the voice said all those cutting remarks. Soft and then angry. Rueful and melancholy. Cold and livid. Inquiring and languid. "You're not real. This is all in my head." She chanted, clutching at her head. "You're not real. This is all in my head. You're not real. This is all-"

_"Ah, je prie de différer."_

As she stumbled into the indoor gardening center blindingly, she felt cool hands around her throat, pressing and caressing her swanlike neck. She screamed. She needed to get out! Suddenly, the red roses were becoming clearer and clearer, its thorns sharp and lethal. They were drawing her in; she could no longer keep her eyes away from it. It struck from their designated spots, the roots and steams embedding itself in the wooden posts, blocking the entrance from where she had entered.

Okay, so her alternative exit was gone now. Damnit, she needed to get outside, free from the presence's manipulation.

Her eyes darted to the window. Outside! Yes, that was what she needed. Fresh air and she would be alright again. _Train loves me. There is no way our love is fake._

She started to shake, tremors racking her body. Saya took a hesitant step forward and then another; her short, heavy strides growing longer and longer.

The scent of flowers was beginning to suffocate her; a carefree laugh ricocheted throughout the gardens. She felt strong, wiry arms lift her up in the air and the whiff of the Felix's scent wafted through her nostrils. Saya's eyes widened as she saw a blue mist enveloping her and Train, roughly grabbing her by the hair and tossing her against the wall like a rag doll.

She let out a moan as she slid down to the floor, her head pounding painfully against her skull. She felt a warm liquid slide down the side of her face but it went by unnoticed as tears leaked out of her eyes. Through all the tears and blood, she was starting to see the fog and the white silhouette of the Presence materialize to form a striking man of similar age to her fiancé. The man simply glared at her with his intense blue gaze as his arms encircled around _her _Train's delicate shoulders; his body was pressed against _her_ Train's.

_Solid,_ she wondered. _How the hell did he become solid?_

_Her _Train smiled up at the stranger with an expression that he had never shown her before. It was a look of pure devotion, of pure love; it made her heart clench. Their faces were getting nearer and nearer.

And near and nearer. And nearer and nearer. And nearer and nearer and nearer.

It was an endless cycle of torment.

"No," she whimpered. "Don't you dare show me this again. I can't take it anymore."

They ignored her pleas.

Nearer and nearer.

"Please stop it! You're dead, goddamnit! Train loves me, not him." She screamed, her denial evident. _Stop… before I go crazy, _she sobbed.

A whispery sigh murmured against her ear. _"Regardez, sorcière. Regardez comme je romps votre charme." _

Their lips locked. Time seemed to stop altogether as the two transparent men in the room demonstrated their sensual performance.

_No. No! Let this all be a dream. _Even with the sheer wrongess of witnessing her fiance playing tonsil-hockey with another man, it couldn't beat the morbid fascination she held for the little erotic scene played out in front of her. A thought barely registered in her mind. It was like watching the Light and Dark in a play of immortal time. Playing their roles of the submissive and the dominant.

The dominant watching the submissive with his blue eyes. The submissive enjoying his brief dominance and taking the lead.

_Her_ Train's lips lifted from the mouth of the stranger, and skimmed over to the other's pale neck, planting little butterfly kisses on his way down. His mouth parted slightly as he settled upon a spot, his pink tongue darting out like a sly serpent. He licked the little pulsing jugular, purring with pleasure like the feline he is. The other man, whom she had came to terms as _the presence_, groaned, skimming his hands over _her_ Train's slender body. He nuzzled his face into _her_ Train's hair.

She couldn't even muster up an angry protest as all the salvia turned to sawdust in her mouth. _Train_, she wanted to cry. _Get away from that man!_

The medium of Light grinded his narrow hips against _her_ Darkness', reveling in_ her_ Felix's mewl of approval.

No, that wasn't _her _Train. The clothes were all wrong. When she had left him, he was still wearing his black tail suit with a waistcoat, complete with a little silver tray. _This_ Train wore chain mail armor, some of the metal weaving broken and frayed. _This _Train bore a black tunic underneath that metal gunk. _This _Train had a sword attached to his hip. _Her_ Train had a gun. _It's all a trick. Yes, that was what it all was... a trick._

Her eyes refocused and she felt clear in the head. Not a thought penetrated her mind as she shakily pushed herself up from the floor.

The two looked up, two piercing eyes of blue and gold staring into her vacant ones. The presence tilted his head, wisps of silver falling in his eyes. _"Où allez-vous? Ne voulez-vous pas nous voir continuer?"_

"Shut up," Saya snarled, plowing through the two apparitions. She felt the faint chill of passing through the ghostly images that drowned out the fire from pumping her legs as fast as she could. She threw herself against the glass panel and into the open air, glass breaking. _Train,_ she thought, _I'm coming._ It was the last thought she had before the darkness took her in and enveloped her with its cold hug.

She was spared of the painful collision when her body smashed against the ground.

* * *

"Creed," Echidna Parass muttered, "this is not fit for an important vampire of the elite class such as you." Her indigo eyes flashed, her sea green hair hanging down in disarray. "I don't even know why you agreed to come." She stuck a small cigarette into her mouth, drew a tiny golden case out of her pockets, and flicked the cap open. Echidna fired up the gold Zippo and sucked in the bitter tang of smoke, letting it pool in her lungs before she exhaled it through her mouth. Her jittery hands stilled.

The vampire poured a shimmering shot of brandy and tipped the scarlet contents of a small vial into the glass. He dumped three ice cubes from the bucket of ice, fixing his drink with an intense stare. He swirled the contents and then took a delicate sip. "Echidna, if you can't make do in this room, you can leave. Though I do thank you for transporting me all the way from Japan to New York, you're not needed."

A frown tugged on her wide lips as she took another drag. "I can't leave you here. We're like foreigners in the U.S. of A., and _Chronos_' headquarters is huge! What if you got lost in here?"

Creed sighed and tossed back the drink. _I swear if not for her money, I would have thrown her out of the Hoshi no Shito eons ago._ "I'm old enough to take care of myself, Echidna. I know my way around." He swirled the liquor, cocking his head to hear the clinking of ice cubes floating in the crystal glass.

Seeing the sultry actress was about to protest, he held up a hand for silence. "Just go look around and see if anything catches your eye. You're nervous being in a foreign country, I know. Take in the view of the mountaintops or breathe in the clean air. Besides, I know where your plane is. I'll see you there when the meeting is adjourned."

Echidna gnawed on her lower lip but sensing the logic in his argument, she gave in. "Fine then. Holler when you need me." The siren grounded the butt of the cigarette on a nearby chair and stalked out of the room. She rubbed her throbbing temple, feeling her heated face through her fingers. Her purple gaze landed on the still form of Creed's back and she nearly melted with want. Even from the back, the vampire looked so handsome.

As a siren, she was born with a beautiful voice and a wicked tongue. Echidna could tempt many men, supernatural or human, with just a whisper of her voice and the faintest of gestures. But Creed was different; he was the only one to resist her seduction. Over the years that she had met him, she had continued her games with him but none seemed to affect him.

It was then that she learned of Train, his mate. His companion. His _everything_. Even saying his name left a bitter taste in her mouth. Creed was shackled to the remnants of Train's memory, bounded by his delusional love. Even better, Train was dead! To her mind, the very image of the mortal haunted her in sleep and wake, much like how he haunted the tired vampire. His voice taunted her in her dreams, telling her that Creed would be forever his. He was like the perfect rival for Creed's affections for he was dead. For she cannot do anything. To spoil the memories Creed has of his lover was suicide.

She looked away, mortified that a person of her standing was reduced to nothingness in the mere presence of the vampire. She was helpless to the vampire's magnetism, even though he himself was oblivious to his attractive looks and charming mannerisms. Echidna's face flushed. _I really need to get away before I go insane. Who knows what I'll do if this continues._ With a last lingering look, she padded into the hallways, her heels tapping a tune on the slick checkerboard-floor.

* * *

_**End Chapter 2:** _

Son _Arrival_

* * *

Roughly Translated French:

1) "_**Arrêtez-le."-**_

"Stop it."

2) "_**Vous fille stupide. Il ne vous aime pas."– **_

"You stupid girl. He does not love you."

3) "_**Mon chat noir ne vous aime pas, vous putain dégoûtante."– **_

"My Black Cat does not love you, you filthy whore.

4)**_ "…Mon Chat Noir… mon Train aimé."-_**

"...My Black Cat... my beloved Train."

5) **_"Mais qui d'autre pourrait-il être? Pourquoi fait il néanmoins restent près de vous? Il ne vous aime pas. Avait-il jamais poussé ces trois mots à vous? Comme comment est-lui allé à moi?"-_**

"But who else could it be? Why does he still remain beside you? He does not love you. Had he ever uttered those three words to you? Like how he did to me?"

6) "_**Ah, je prie de différer."-**_

"Oh, I beg to differ."

7) **_"Regardez, sorcière. Regardez comme je romps votre charme." –_**

"Watch, witch. Watch as I break your spell."

8) "_**Où allez-vous? Ne voulez-vous pas nous voir continuer?"-**_

"Where are you going? Don't you want to see us continue?"

**A/N- **This has gotta be the longest chapter so far. It's a nice change now isn't it? And I'm sure you're bursting with questions but you'll find your answers in later chapters. Above are the French translations (provided by **Yahoo! Babel Fish**). I'm not sure if it's accurate, and I'm not fluent at French. If you happen to catch a mistake, be sure to notify me as soon as you can. Anywho, have a good day guys! -winks and waves- See ya later when I upload the newest episode.


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